


Four-sided Triangle

by tsutsuji



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M, Sexual Coercion, sex in the shadow realm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 09:25:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3405548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsutsuji/pseuds/tsutsuji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yami Bakura forces Yami Yuugi to accept an unusual challenge, with the souls of Ryou and Yugi trapped on the edge of the Shadow Realm as incentive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Challenge

**Author's Note:**

> Totally anime-verse, including the use of "Yami" as The Other Yuugi's name. Set after Duelist Kingdom and before Battle City. Probably best read with the dub voices in mind as I'm sure that's what I was hearing in my head when I wrote it, way back in about 2004 when the dub was still on Saturday mornings. Ah, nostalgia.

Title: Four-Sided Triangle (1 of 6)  
Author: Tsutsuji

It all began very quickly.

Yami was meditating alone in his soul room, only vaguely aware of Yuugi's surroundings as his other half took a shortcut through a park, talking with one of his friends while on the way to meet the others. Suddenly, without warning Yami was pulled to the forefront. He found himself standing there in Yuugi's place as the Puzzle flashed brightly and dark magic crackled in the air around him. That was alarming enough, but at the same time he felt Yuugi's presence yanked away, and it seemed that a door slammed shut between them.

"No!" he shouted, reaching for Yuugi's mind with his own, but it was a second too late. Yuugi was gone.

Yami looked around frantically, trying to orient himself. It had grown dark under the trees, although as far as he could tell it was still mid-morning. Off to his left there seemed to be a deeper shadow, like a curtain of darkness. Out of this shadow stepped a figure, too dark for Yami to make out his features except for a wreath of silvery-white hair and a red gleam in his eyes. There was a flash of gold on his chest as the figure stepped forward. He was still hidden from full view, but Yami knew at once who it was.

"You!" Yami said, realizing that the body of Ryou Bakura had once again been possessed by the ancient Spirit of the Ring. So, Yami thought, the Ring was not lost on the Duelist Kingdom island, as Honda had intended. I should have known.

"You didn't honestly think I was gone for good, did you?" the Spirit's low voice came from the figure as he stepped into the dim light.

"What have you done? What happened to Yuugi?"

"Your little partner is on his way to the Shadow Realm, along with my other self."

"Return them at once! You have no right to send them there!"

"They aren't there yet. They are waiting on the borders. I have a challenge for you, Pharaoh - a Shadow Game. of course. If you loose, they will be sent to the Shadow Realm permanently. But you have my word that they will remain unharmed as long as our game continues, and if you win, they will both be returned safely."

"The word of a thief and a stealer of souls?" Yami challenged. "What good is that?"

"A thief I may be, but even I am bound by the rules of a Game of Shadows. If you accept my challenge, I shall be bound by the outcome, no matter what. However, if you do not accept, your little Yuugi remains on the borders of the Shadow Realm until I choose to set him free - if I choose to, that is."

"And what if I loose? What are you really after?"

The Spirit gave a little laugh. "What am I after?" he said softly. "You may discover that eventually. If I win, I take the Millennium Puzzle, of course. In which case, the fate of little Yuugi will no longer be of much concern to you or to me. I may even set him free once I have the Puzzle in my possession."

Yami gritted his teeth. It was true that even the evil spirit would be forced to honor his word; the ancient Rules of Magic and the Shadow Realm would see to that. But no doubt he knew of ways to break those rules if he really wanted to.

"You are a liar and a cheat. Why should I trust you?"

The spirit chuckled. "As a matter of fact, it would be rather difficult to cheat in the game I have in mind."

"What is your challenge, then?" Yami asked, realizing with surprise that the spirit was not referring to a game of Duel Monsters.

"It's quite simple," the spirit said, lowering his voice to a purr that sent shivers down Yami's spine. "You will use all of your considerable skill to bring me, and yourself as well, to sexual climax."

Yami gaped at him. "What?!"

"I'm sure you understood the meaning of my words," the spirit answered, sounding amused.

"That's - " Yami took a step back from him, at a loss for words.

"Disgusting? Immoral? Depraved?" the other suggested. He chuckled again, and took a step toward Yuugi, coming into full view. He spread his arms, his hip cocked suggestively. "Come now, is the idea really so unappealing? You must admit, if you haven't noticed it before, this body is really quite attractive, isn't it?"

"Ryou Bakura’s body," Yami insisted, "not yours to use as a toy for your own pleasure!"

But through his shock and disgust, and his concern for Yuugi, Yami did in fact notice for the first time that Ryou's body, hidden under overlarge shirts and faded denim, was quite appealing. The spirit's confident presence revealed the beauty of Ryou's slim, well-shaped form, which Ryou's diffident and awkward manner kept hidden. The spirit further emphasized this by running his hands over his chest and torso to reveal the body's contours under the loose shirt.

"Hmph," Yami made a noise of protest, trying to subdue his flicker of interest in the unusual challenge. "I don't want to imagine what depravity it would take to arouse an evil spirit like you," he said.

"My desires are not so different from your own, I assure you. I admit I have visited the extremes of sexual pleasure in the past, but at the moment, I am not interested in risking any real damage to this body."

Bakura - Yami found himself using the familiar name for the spirit, as if it just seemed to fit - continued to run his long fingers over himself, brushing his hands along his hips and flicking them across his groin. Yami couldn't help but notice that Ryou's jeans seemed to fit rather more tightly and revealingly on the Spirit.

Noticing Yami's gaze, Bakura laughed quietly. "You may find your task easier than you expect."

For a moment Yami was distracted in spite of himself as he watched Bakura's fingers travel across his chest, but then the gleam of the Millennium Ring caught his eye and brought his attention back to the situation.

"There's a catch, I'm sure," he said suspiciously.

Bakura smiled. "Hmm. Is there? Well, perhaps, but the only way to find out is to accept my challenge and see what happens. Meanwhile, your little partner is waiting on the edge of the Shadow Realm, and while his soul will not be damaged there, it's still not a very pleasant place to spend the afternoon. So make up your mind. Do you accept my challenge or not?"

Yami considered his options. Even though he didn't trust the Spirit, the challenge did not seem impossible, especially since Bakura already seemed to be doing half the job himself. His delicate fingers were playing over his chest, tweaking one nipple through the fabric of Ryou's t-shirt. Bakura stood with his legs spread, his head tossed back slightly, looking down at Yami with smoldering eyes.

Yami found himself intrigued, his competitive instincts awakened by the unusual challenge, and his curiosity piqued as he wondered what the Spirit really wanted. Besides, as far as he could tell at the moment, he had no other choice if he wanted to save Yuugi. He prodded the magical barrier that had been thrown up between them, and found it holding fast. The emptiness where Yuugi's presence should have been was alarming.

"All right then," he said, feeling as if he was stepping off a ledge into an abyss of unknown depth. "I accept your challenge."

The spirit nodded and smiled. "A wise choice. You may begin anytime."

Yami refrained from saying that it appeared Bakura had started without him. He took a step forward, his arms coming up to reach for him, but then hesitated.

Bakura laughed. "What's the matter? Have you even forgotten this after your long imprisonment in the shadows?" he taunted softly. "No doubt your host is thoroughly inexperienced in this area as well," he added.

"He is not my host!" Yami said indignantly. "He is - my partner."

"Hmm. How touching. And speaking of touching, isn't there something you should be doing?"

Yami glared at him defiantly, but found he was completely unsure of where to start.

"What... What do you want me to do?" he asked, without letting a hint of submission come through in his voice.

Bakura didn't laugh as Yami half expected him to do. Instead, he just smiled and opened his arms wide again.

"Come here - and you can start by kissing me. Try to convince me that you really mean it."

Yami gave him a look that would have skewered the soul of a normal man, but the Spirit was unaffected, and stood waiting. Steeling himself, Yami stepped forward, placed his arms on Bakura's shoulders and pulled him down, tilting his own face up until they were eye to eye.

Slowly he leaned up to bring their lips together. Fighting the urge to take the evil spirit by the neck and squeeze with all his might, instead he moved as gently and carefully as he could, brushing their lips together lightly. He slid one hand behind Bakura's neck, his fingers twining in the silken white hair, and the other hand caressed his cheek, gently pulling him forward. He nudged Bakura's lips apart with his own, finding the feel and taste not at all unpleasant.

Yami expected resistance, but to his surprise, Bakura leaned into the kiss, opening his lips easily. Yami slipped his tongue inside, and was rewarded with a little intake of breath from Bakura. Encouraged, he deepened the kiss. Bakura's tongue met his own and they tasted each other, exploring rather than competing. Yami's hand slid down to Bakura's chest, pressing against the nipple that Bakura had hardened earlier and playing with it.

"Hmmm," the Spirit said, pulling back after a few more moments of this light teasing. "Not a bad beginning," he said, his voice a low murmur, "but you still have a long way to go."

"I never begin a game by playing my best card," Yami replied.

He pulled Bakura's head down and took his lips in another kiss, this one deep and hard, and the Spirit returned the kiss with surprising eagerness. Realizing that, for the moment at least, this was what Bakura wanted, Yami kissed him harder still, invading the other’s mouth as if he was trying to take hold of Bakura's soul.

***

Ryou shivered in the gloomy chill, his arms wrapped around his long legs as he sat on the cold ground. He waited, knowing what was coming, and it wasn't long before his expectation was fulfilled.

There was a dull flash of greenish light. Lurid colors danced before his eyes for a moment until the shadows closed in again, and then there was a heavy sound as of something falling to the ground. He scrambled toward the sound, searching anxiously in the dim light.

He soon found what he was looking for: a body lying in a tumbled heap, as if it had been tossed casually to the ground. Ryou made a sound of distress and carefully turned the boy over to check for injuries. It was Yuugi, of course, and he seemed unharmed, but he was still unconscious. There seemed to be a little more light around him, as if he'd been able to bring some of the living world with him to this shadowy place.

Ryou touched his face gently to see if he would awaken, but was not surprised when he didn't. He knew well enough that it would take some time for his spirit to revive after being wrenched from his body and dumped here. Sighing, he sat on the ground again, looking down at Yuugi with concern. After a moment's hesitation, he lifted Yuugi's head gently to cushion it in his lap, and made him as comfortable as possible. Then he settled in to wait.

(Continued in Part 2: Comfort)


	2. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trapped on the edge of the Shadow Realm, Yuugi and Ryou find comfort in each other's presence - and a little more.

Yuugi struggled to pull himself up from a deep sleep, confusedly trying to remember why he felt so tired but at the same time so anxious. When he finally managed to open his eyes, he was just as confused, because there was the face of his friend Bakura looking down at him. What was he doing here? And where was “here,” anyway?

Then it all came rushing back. He'd met Bakura Ryou among the trees as he was crossing the park to meet his friends, and they'd walked a little ways together, talking about the strange powers of the Millennium Items. They were speculating about the particular powers of the Millennium Eye and Bakura's Ring, both lost now as far as Yuugi knew; how the Eye had been used by Pegasus to send three souls to the Shadow Realm, and the Ring had a similar power as well as being able to trap a person's soul into an object.

"How do you know all this?" Yuugi had asked, impressed with Bakura's knowledge.

He'd suspected nothing until Bakura suddenly turned to him with a grin and said, "Would you like to see how it works?" - but Bakura's voice had suddenly become deep and harsh, coming from a mouth now twisted into an evil smile. Before Yuugi had time to yell "no!" or alert Yami, a flash of light from the Ring had seared into his brain -- and that was all.

And now, here was Bakura, smiling down at him! Yuugi scrambled up and jumped back several feet.

"Bakura! What have you done!" He looked around wildly, realizing that he was no longer in his own world.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi," Bakura cried, distress evident in his otherwise normal voice. "I didn't.... Are you all right? I never meant..."

He started to get up and move toward Yuugi, but Yuugi jumped back and Bakura paused. He looked up at Yuugi with a pleading expression. All at once, Yuugi realized that this was really his friend, Ryou, and not the evil spirit who must have sent them here.

"It was the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, wasn't it?" Yuugi said angrily. "He's back, and he's trapped us both here!"

"I'm afraid that's true, Yuugi," Bakura said miserably, sitting back down heavily. "He wanted a rematch with the Spirit of your Millennium Puzzle, and by sending us here, the spirit of your puzzle will have no choice but to play along."

"Of course, and they're probably dueling right now!"

"I'm sure they are," Bakura agreed, "and I'm sure the Spirit of the Puzzle will win. Or so I hope."

"Of course he will. He defeated the evil spirit once before," Yuugi said confidently. "But, Bakura, I thought Honda said he got rid of the Ring and its spirit."

"Yes, well, it appeared again," Bakura said, his head lowered so Yuugi couldn't see his face. "I can't explain it, except that it appears that I'm linked to the fate of the Ring, just as you're linked to the Millennium Puzzle. Yuugi..." he looked up, his deep brown eyes pleading again, "please forgive me."

Yuugi was startled to see Ryou's distress. He went back over and sat down next to him.

"It's not your fault," he said. "None of us can help it, really. Like you said, these ancient spirits are linked to us somehow. Anyway, I'm certain the Spirit of the Puzzle will win this duel and take care of the evil spirit once and for all."

"I'm sure you're right," Bakura said, trying to smile his usual cheery smile, though he didn't sound at all certain. "We only have to wait."

"Um-hm," Yuugi nodded, his face set in determination, as if he himself was about to duel the evil spirit.

He looked around and shivered as a chill wind blew between them. There wasn't much to see, just barren ground with a few dead weeds, and some tall standing stones that leaned at odd angles here and there in the gloom. He couldn't see far, but it was clear there was no sign of life beyond the two of them. It was certainly not a pleasant place, but it didn't seem to be tearing at his soul, and the wind was cold but it didn't feel like it would freeze his heart.

"But... where are we? This doesn't seem quite as awful as the Shadow Realm did when we dueled Pegasus."

"I don't know exactly, but I think it's not the Shadow Realm itself, just a sort of waiting place on the borders. I've found myself here before when the Spirit takes control."

Yuugi was surprised to hear this; he'd never been in such a place when Yami was in control, but he said nothing.

"The Spirit of the Ring is very old and quite powerful, Yuugi," Bakura continued. "More than I realized at first. If he does win, I expect we'll end up in the Shadow Realm for good."

"That's not going to happen," Yuugi insisted. "Yami will win, and we'll be back where we belong in no time."

Bakura cocked his head curiously. "Yami?"

"Oh, yes, that's what I call him sometimes, besides 'The Other Me,' since he's like a different, darker side of myself." Yuugi explained how the Spirit of the Puzzle had several titles but didn't remember his own real name, and it seemed easier to call him Yami than to always refer to him as King of Games or Other Me.

Bakura looked thoughtful at this, and a little troubled. "I don't know the name of the Spirit of the Ring," he said wonderingly. "He doesn’t seem to know his own name, as far as I can tell, but he lets me call him Bakura."

"In that case," Yuugi said, "if you don't mind, I'll just call you Ryou from now on."

Ryou smiled. "I'm honored, Yuugi, if it means we're still friends, even after all that's happened."

"Of course we're friends!" Yuugi exclaimed.

"Well, good, then. I'm glad. In fact, I'm sorry to say it, but I'm glad you're here. I hate being here alone," he added in a quiet voice. He huddled into himself, drawing his legs up and wrapping his arms around them. "I hate this place," he muttered.

Yuugi was about to say it wasn't so bad, but at that moment something came whiffling out of the darkness and swooped overhead. The shadowy thing hovered over them for a moment and then left on a cold rush of wind. Ryou gave a muffled yelp and ducked, while Yuugi hardly had time to react at all before it was gone.

"What was that!"

Ryou shuddered. "I don't know," he said, his face still down behind his knees. "There are all kind of creepy things lurking around here. Things trying to escape from the Shadow Realm, or souls being drawn there.... I don't know."

Yuugi felt terrible for Ryou, for all he'd been through with the evil spirit controlling him, and now to be stuck here. The place didn't bother Yuugi as much, but it seemed to creep Bakura right out. He peered around at every tiny noise coming out of the darkness.

"We'll stay close together then," he said sympathetically, and moved to lean against Ryou's side. "If anything comes at us from the Shadow Realm, we'll face it together!"

Ryou smiled at him gratefully. But he shivered and ducked into himself a little as a gust of wind howled through the stones and over their heads.

Instinctively, Yuugi put his arm around his friend's shoulder. Ryou blinked at him in surprise.

"Do you mind? I thought it might help," Yuugi said.

"I don't mind at all," Ryou said, smiling again. "Actually..." he ducked his head for a moment; when he looked up again, peering out from under his silvery bangs, Yuugi realized his face was flushed. "Actually I quite like it."

Yuugi felt a strange little shiver of warmth run down his back at the way Ryou said this. The nice feeling increased when Ryou laid his head on Yuugi's shoulder.

"There's something I should confess to you, Yuugi," Ryou said in a very soft voice.

"What is it, Bak... Ryou?" Yuugi asked, confused and a little concerned.

"Well... ever since we met... it's hard to say, but... well, I'll just say that I think you're very.... attractive. I like you a lot, Yuugi."

Yuugi felt himself blush in turn. He couldn't see Ryou's face, which was hidden by his hair as he leaned against Yuugi's shoulder, and he was glad for a moment that Ryou couldn't see his either.

"I like you too, Ryou," he said quietly.

He realized that it was true; he'd always liked Ryou more than he'd let on. He remembered the way Ryou had looked the first day he came to Yuugi's school, so friendly and kind, and with his brown eyes shining in excitement as they talked about games they liked to play. He remembered that he'd been especially hopeful at first that Ryou would become a close friend, before the shadow of the Other Bakura had come between them, when Ryou shied away from playing any games with them after all.

And now it was surprisingly comfortable to sit here, even in this gloomy place, with Ryou's head down on his shoulder like this, and his arm around Ryou's back.

"I'm sorry we haven't been closer friends, Ryou," he said. "You always kept to yourself, so I thought you didn't want to be around me and the others, but I realize now of course, it was because of the other Bakura. You were trying to protect us."

"That's true, I'm afraid," Ryou said with a sigh. "But that wasn't the only reason," he added in a very small voice.

"What do you mean?" Yuugi asked.

"Well. Like I said, I really think you're attractive, and sometimes I just felt too shy around you to talk to you."

Now Yuugi really did blush; from the heat in his face, he thought his cheeks must be as red as the tips of his hair. No one had ever called him "attractive," certainly not twice in five minutes. He had no idea Ryou felt this way.

"Oh?" was all he could think of to say.

Ryou seemed to take a deep breath as if he was steeling himself to do something very difficult. He raised his head and looked at Yuugi with his eyes dark and shining. Yuugi had a startled second to notice how beautiful Ryou's shy, warm smile was, before the next words he heard sank into his brain.

"Yuugi... could I kiss you?"

Yuugi just stared at him for a moment. Then his surprise melted into something very warm inside.

"Wow. Nobody's ever wanted to kiss me before," he said breathlessly. "I think that would be wonderful." He smiled back, delighted to see Ryou's face light up at his reply.

And then soft, full lips were touching his gently. Warmth flowed through his body from the touch of those lips, and from the wonderful feeling of Ryou leaning against him, shoulder to shoulder. He pressed his arm more tightly against Ryou's back.

He'd thought now and then about kissing someone - no one in particular - but this felt even nicer than he'd imagined it would be. On impulse he opened his lips and let the tip of his tongue touch Ryou's. That brought a sigh of delight from Ryou, and their kiss deepened.

At that moment another bat-like shadow came creeping out of the dark sky to circle their heads. Ryou crumpled against him with a whimper. Yuugi pulled him close and kept kissing him to distract him. After a moment of tense fear, Ryou relaxed fully into Yuugi's embrace. The kiss lingered on for a moment, and then Ryou's head slipped down to rest again on Yuugi's shoulder, this time nuzzling under his ear.

"This is so nice," he said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Yuugi said warmly. "I like it too. You're a very good kisser, Ryou."

"Hmm." Ryou sighed. "I've never kissed anyone before. It just feels right doing it with you, I guess."

"Mm-hm," Yuugi murmured in agreement.

They stayed that way for a moment, quietly cuddled together in the gloom. Then slowly, Ryou raised his head again. His earth-brown eyes looked almost black and seemed so deep Yuugi felt he could fall into them. The warm feeling in his body was growing more urgent, more sharply focused, as he looked into Ryou's eyes. He realized there was a question in Ryou's gaze, and he couldn't say no to it.

Yuugi's hand slid around Ryou's neck and pulled him in for another kiss. Trusting to instinct, he let himself fall backward, and pulled Ryou down with him until they lay stretched out together on the ground. Ryou gave a muffled, surprised-sounding moan as Yuugi's short legs slid alongside his and their bodies pressed together.

It just felt right. When Ryou raised his head again, looking at him with more questions in his eyes, Yuugi wasn't sure just what he was asking, but he nodded anyway, trusting the warm feeling in his heart and the heat gathering in his lower body. He didn't know what to do, or what Ryou meant to do, but he trusted his friend, and he couldn't resist giving in to the look of love and happiness he saw in Ryou's face.

Ryou started to carefully unbutton Yuugi's shirt, laying quick kisses on each inch of skin as it was exposed, starting under his leather collar and working downward. Yuugi felt every kiss and touch as a delightful shock that went right to the center of him.

"So beautiful," he heard Ryou whisper as he pushed the shirt off Yuugi's shoulders. Yuugi wanted to say something in reply, about how it was Ryou who was beautiful, not him. But before he could find words Ryou's head went down again, and suddenly a warm tongue was lapping at one nipple. He gasped wordlessly as blood rushed away from his brain and into the swelling hardness that was making his pants suddenly uncomfortable.

He stared sightlessly up at the sky, lost in delightful feelings. He hardly noticed the black thing that came swirling out of the darkness only to dart away again, unable to bear the light that seemed to gather around the two bodies entwined on the ground.

***  
(Continued in part 3: Making the Moves, as Yami no Yuugi tries to meet Bakura's challenge!)


	3. Making the Moves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bakura makes the most of Yami's attempt to meet his first challenge.

Bakura was amused at how quickly Yami no Yuugi set about his task. The aggressive kiss startled and aroused him more than he would have expected. It also made him very curious as to what else Yami would do in order to win the challenge.

There were two small obstacles to Yami’s initial attempt to pull Bakura into a close embrace. The first was simply their difference in height. However, it didn’t bother Bakura at all that the smaller King of Games had to practically stand on tiptoe in order to kiss him. The more important obstacle was the pair of Millennium Items that hung between them. Yami pulled back with a start as he realized the Puzzle was about to come into contact with Bakura’s bare skin.

In fact, Bakura thought, the temptation of it being so close was a major distraction. But he himself had set the rules of the game, which meant he couldn’t take it until he won, at least not unless he wanted to risk invoking a penalty game on himself. Then again, he didn’t want Yami getting his hands on Ryou’s Millennium Ring, either, so he followed Yami’s example and swung the Item around on its cord so it hung at his back, safely out of the way for now. The magical pendants might still be in the way later, depending on how things developed, but for the moment they were out of sight, if never completely out of mind.

That being taken care of, Yami stepped back in and pulled Bakura to him again, one hand on his chest to toy with a nipple, the other hand at his waist to hold him close. With much nipping of teeth he kissed along Bakura’s jaw and down his neck and shoulders.

Bakura pulled the other’s shirt up and reached under it. Yami shivered a little at the touch on his bare skin, but he didn’t flinch even when Bakura’s fingers found a soft little nub and tweaked it to stiffness. Soon enough he had the shirt off Yami’s shoulders completely. Yami took the hint to pull it off and drop it to the ground. Bakura pushed him back a little and let his eyes wander over the slim chest while Yami stood there before him, hands at his sides, glaring at him with menacing eyes.

“As I thought,” Bakura said softly, “your host’s body is more well developed than his height indicates. Very nice,” he added, running one long finger over the smoothly muscled chest. Yami’s face flushed pink, but he refused to look away from Bakura’s appraisal. There was a little flutter in the unsmiling face, however, as Bakura’s hand dipped lower, suggestively, toward the top of Yami’s black pants.

“Surprised? It feels good to be touched like this, doesn’t it, after being so long a spirit without a body?”

Yami’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing in reply. Bakura guessed that he was steeling himself against pressing forward for more contact.

“You may as well try to enjoy yourself,” Bakura said as his hands circled around and dipped lower again. “It might even increase your chances of winning this duel. You do remember what’s at stake here, don’t you?”

That got a reaction. The straight line of Yami’s lips twisted into a small snarl. As Bakura hoped, Yami was reminded that he was supposed to be doing something, not just standing there and resisting his response to the touch of another’s hands on his skin.

Yami moved in again, leaning against Bakura and pressing his hips upward slightly against Bakura’s crotch. It felt good, and Bakura let his own pelvis rock forward to rub against the smaller body. Boldly, Yami slid his hand between them, feeling along until he found the hardening ridge under Bakura’s jeans. He gave a light, teasing squeeze before pulling his hand back up to find the opening.

Bakura let him grope around down there on his own while he pulled Yami’s face to his chest, encouraging more attention to his own nipples. Yami’s warm tongue lapped dutifully at one, his teeth just barely grazing the sensitive flesh from time to time, while he continued to work at the opening of Bakura’s jeans.

Bakura almost grew impatient enough with his fumbling to help him along, but finally Yami managed to undo the jeans and push them down just enough to slip his hand inside. Bakura couldn’t help but let out a low growl as the pressure there increased. Hearing this, Yami closed his teeth on the erect nipple as his hand pressed around Bakura’s restricted erection.

It was an excellent move on Yami’s part. Sparks exploded in Bakura’s brain from the warm pressure and sudden pain. He gasped, and for a moment he could do nothing but press himself harder into Yami’s touch at both points, even though the pressure on his cock was rapidly growing painful.

Then his head cleared a little. With a small snarl of frustration he let go of his hold on Yami’s head so he could use both hands to push the jeans and briefs out of the way. By also wriggling his hips he managed to get his erection into a more comfortable position under Yami’s warm palm.

Yami chuckled; Bakura felt the vibration from it against his chest. He pulled Yami’s head away to see the smug little smile on that formerly grim face.

“Nicely done,” he rasped, as Yami’s hand began to move up and down along his length.   
“But don’t think you’ve won yet!”

He’d had every intention of enjoying himself during this little game, as it had been far too long since he’d been able to really feel and enjoy such sensations, after all. But he decided he was making it too easy for the former Pharaoh.

“You’ve played well so far, but I’m going to dictate your next move,” he said. Yami quirked an eyebrow at him. “Time to put your mouth to some better use than your usual bragging and lecturing,” he continued. He took Yami's chin in his hand and tugged downward. “There, where your hand is so cleverly working at the moment. Show me how much you love the taste of it!”

As he’d expected, the smug grin became a grimace as Yami realized what he was being told to do.

“Is it really so distasteful to you? Too bad. It’s what I require of you now. Did you think your talented hands would be enough to get me off? Of course, there is another possibility. I’m sure your tight little ass would do as well, and if you’re not good enough with your mouth, it may come to that!”

He loved the flash of warning and alarm that showed in the crimson eyes at that. He wondered just how far he could push Yami. How much would the proud former Pharaoh actually do for the sake of little Yuugi’s safety? He might yet find the spirit’s limits. The fact that Yami could think of no words to spit at him was a sign that he must already be getting close to those limits.

“Come now, I’m trying to make it easy for you! If you can’t stand the thought of having me in your mouth, think of someone else. Perhaps it would help to imagine that you’re giving this pleasure to your own little Yuugi, instead.”

The glare that comment earned almost made him laugh out loud. He was willing to bet that it meant he’d hit close to the mark with his suggestion, closer than Yami was ready to admit. He considered reminding Yami that he had another task to perform as well, as so far he’d managed to neglect the arousal of his own body, but he decided that could wait for the moment. Things were almost moving along too quickly as it was.

Still, it would add to the challenge to remind Yami of their positions in this game. He reached down and started to tug at Yami’s jeans. The other glared at him but did not push his hand away.

“I want to see you as well, Yami,” he said pointedly.

With a muttered “very well,” Yami complied by opening his fly and pulling out his nearly flaccid cock. He flinched a little as Bakura touched it lightly, or maybe it was the way he ran his tongue over his teeth as he touched it that made Yami just a little nervous. Bakura was intrigued to find that it was well proportioned for Yuugi’s size, and he guessed it would seem fairly large once it was erect - which he intended to see happen soon enough.

For the moment, his own erection demanded attention. He quickly shed his own jeans along with shoes and socks, and stood naked in front of Yami, in all of his host body’s pale glory.

Yami refused to appear intimidated by the taller teen’s body, or by the nearly full hardness of the long, slender cock that greeted his reluctant gaze. Bakura could tell he was trying to keep from looking at it, but his eyes kept flicking downward.

“Don’t forget, all the time you hesitate, Yuugi remains on the edge of the Shadows. Who knows what may come creeping out of the darkness, ready to pounce on his soul the moment you loose?”

Yami snarled, but he took the hint. He stepped close again and stood there a moment with his hands fondling Bakura’s erection, looking down at it as if deciding on his strategy for dealing with it. Finally, with as much dignity as he could manage, he knelt on the ground. Bakura could feel his warm breath on the tip as Yami brought his face close. But he paused there, and a shudder ran through him right up to the tips of his tri-colored hair.

He gave a low laugh. “Just think of Yuugi, if it helps,” he reminded Yami.

That only got him another sharp glare. “Do not mention him again!” Yami commanded.

But the reminder worked. Yami opened his lips and drew Bakura’s length into his hot, wet mouth all at once.

Another shower of sparks went off in Bakura’s brain, racing up his spine from the point of contact with Yami’s mouth. His fingers clenched in the spiked hair. Yami countered by gripping Bakura’s hips in both hands, squeezing tight enough to leave bruises. Bakura wanted to yank Yami’s head forward and ram his full length deep into that hot throat, but he held back with an effort that made him shudder. It would be better to wait and see how well Yami could do before taking matters into his own hands.

And as he’d hoped, once Yami had accepted the task, instinct or buried memories awoke and guided him, and he worked with considerable skill. His tongue and lips applied perfect pressure in a steady rhythm. He even dared to let his teeth graze just lightly along the sensitive skin, guessing correctly that Bakura might enjoy this. One hand wrapped firmly around the base while the other cupped a warm palm under Bakura’s tightening balls.

It was as good as he’d hoped for. As good as he’d imagined when he stroked himself, teaching his host how to take pleasure from his own hands. He’d managed to teach Ryou quite a few things that the young, inexperienced teen might never have known, while he’d glimpsed a few of the boy’s fantasies - and shared a few of his own. This was one of his, to see Yami no Yuugi kneeling at his feet, and feel the power that came from holding him there to do just what he wanted.

It was almost too much. As Yami found a rhythm and added wet suction to his actions, Bakura realized he needed to slow things down or the game would be over too soon. While he reveled in the sight and feel of Yami servicing his need, he detached another part of his mind. It was time to check on his host in the borderland where his soul was waiting.

\---  
Continued in part 4: Countermove


	4. Countermoves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yami completes the first part of his task, with some help from Bakura and, inadvertently, from Ryou.

Ryou felt a cold breeze wash over him. He knew it meant another shadow creature hovered near, but this time he managed to ignore it. The taste and feel of Yuugi’s skin held his complete attention.

He’d been so surprised when Yuugi pulled him down and let him touch him like this that he almost thought it must be some illusion, some magical image conjured by his other half in order to torture him. But the feel of Yuugi’s body was real, his skin was warm, soft and yet firm. He didn’t stop to wonder how they had such solid bodies here when their own real bodies were elsewhere, occupied by other souls. He’d felt such realistic sensations before when Bakura sent his soul to this place, so he wasn't really surprised.

But nothing he’d ever experienced in either world had felt this good. Shocks of delight ran through him as he continued to explore Yuugis body. He kept remembering the look in Yuugi’s eyes as he’d nodded, accepting Ryou’s request, though he doubted Yuugi realized what it was he longed to do. But at every move, Yuugi only moved with him, as if welcoming him. He would do all he could to repay that generosity with the most pleasure he could devise.

Still, he reached with very tentative hands to touch Yuugi’s inner thigh, edging upward along the inseam of his jeans. Yuugi gave a small, questioning gasp, but spread his legs a little bit to allow Ryou to continue. At the same time he rolled over a little, so that his pelvis was snug up against Ryou’s groin. Ryou wasn’t certain this was on purpose, until he felt Yuugi move against him, and realized that it wasn’t Yuugi’s hip bone poking his leg.

“Yuugi,” he whispered in wonder, pressing back, and placing more eager kisses on Yuugi’s chest and stomach.

He didn’t ask again for permission as he slid his hand between them, finding what he’d hoped to find, the swelling mound under the fabric and the slight pressure in response to his hand. His answer was the small questioning-accepting sound that Yuugi made as he fit his hand around it.

Finally, he felt both brave and slightly desperate enough to pull open Yuugi’s pants and reach inside . Yuugi gasped and bucked as the tips of Ryou’s fingers found his sensitive flesh.

“Is it okay, Yuugi?” Ryou asked, pausing and looking down at him.

Yuugi’s eyes were huge, fairly glowing in his flushed face, as he looked up at Ryou. He didn’t seem to be able to answer in words, but he nodded, and to make it more clear, he reached down to undo his jeans completely and push them out of the way.

“If you want to,” he added in a small voice, as Ryou watched him in delighted surprise.

“Very much,” Ryou answered, smiling reassuringly. “I want to make you feel good, Yuugi,” he added.

He ran his fingers along Yuugi’s rapidly growing length, delighting in the feel of the velvety warm skin and the way it jumped against his fingers. Yuugi murmured wordless encouragement.

All at once, again surprising Ryou, Yuugi reached up and pulled Ryou’s head down for another long, deep kiss. Ryou responded by wrapping his hand around Yuugi’s length and softly pumping it. Yuugi moaned into his mouth and wiggled under Ryou, who was now half lying over him, his longer legs wrapped around Yuugi’s thigh.

Ryou began to spread kisses over Yuugi’s face, kissing his cheeks and his eyes, down his neck and behind his ear. The fingers of his free hand combed through Yuugi’s spiked hair, and the smaller boy let his head fall back, eyes shut and a smile of pure bliss on his face.

Ryou kissed his way back down Yuugi’s neck and chest, this time going lower. At the same time he worked to push Yuugi’s jeans down out of the way completely, and Yuugi lifted his hips off the ground to help him along.

But when Ryou bent his head down far enough to blow a warm breath on his erection, Yuugi gasped and almost sat up. Before he could say anything, Ryou let the tip of his tongue flick at the soft head of Yuugi’s cock.

It seemed that Yuugi’s breath stopped for a moment. Then he shuddered, Ryou hoped in pleasure. But he felt Yuugi’s hands on his head, gently tugging at his hair to pull his face up.

“Ryou?” he asked with a quavering voice.

“I want to, Yuugi. Please?” he said, looking earnestly into the puzzled violet eyes.

Yuugi seemed torn, as if he thought he should stop this but clearly didn’t want to. Ryou decided to make it simple for him. He put his head back down and circled his lips around the crown of Yuugi’s cock, and let his tongue flick again at the tip.

Yuugi moaned, falling back to the ground. He still had his hands entangled in Ryou’s hair, but he didn’t pull back this time. His fists clenched and he moaned again as Ryou drew more of Yuugi’s length into his mouth, still holding the lower length with his fist. He moved his fist up and his mouth down, then reversed the motion and sucked. Yuugi thrashed beneath him, spreading his legs wider, encouraging Ryou to repeat the process.

It was at this point that Bakura chose to check on Ryou. He felt the spirit’s presence whisper in the back of his mind. Startled, he stopped his motion and held Yuugi still in his mouth.

“Ah, I see you’ve found a way to keep yourself and your little friend occupied during my game with the Other Yuugi,” Bakura thought at him.

Ryou felt his face flush with burning heat. He closed his eyes tightly, which, of course, did nothing to shut out Bakura’s voice in his mind.

“Did you enjoy the visits from the Fled Souls? Or didn’t you even notice them, while you were so intent on little Yuugi?”

“They were horrible!” Ryou thought sharply. “Why did you have to send them? It’s quite bad enough here without them.”

“Poor little Ryou. did you tremble like a girl at a horror movie, and jump into your boyfriend’s lap for comfort?”

Ryou didn’t answer. He let Yuugi’s cock slip out of his mouth, though he still held it gently but firmly in his fist. Horrified at Bakura’s accurate depiction of his reaction to the Fled Souls, he nuzzled his face against Yuugi’s hip as if that could hide him from his darker half.

“Oh no, my host, you mustn’t stop what you’re doing! I’m sure Yuugi will be disappointed if you stop now. Go on, my Ryou. I know how much you want to continue.”

Ryou hesitated a moment. Yuugi didn’t seem to mind the pause in the action since he was busy catching his breath, but Ryou was afraid he might think he’d stopped because he didn’t like what he was doing, and then it might be difficult to convince Yuugi again that he really did want to do this.

And he did want to. So in spite of the feeling that Bakura was watching him with cynical delight, he placed his lips at the tip of Yuugi’s cock, kissed it gently, and then took it into his mouth again.

As Yuugi’s taste and scent filled his senses, and he heard the soft moans of pleasure that he was causing, he managed to forget all about Bakura. He didn’t notice when the spirit’s presence fell away, all but closing the link between them.

***

Bakura envisioned all too clearly the erotic sight of his pale host bent over Yuugi’s body. Through their mental link or his own imagination, he could almost see and feel how it felt for Ryou, how it tasted, and how much he wanted it. This did nothing to slow his own response to Yami’s expertly wielded tongue and the hot pressure of Yami’s mouth.

As he returned his attention to the situation at hand, he felt again the surge of lust that this position of power gave him. Yami’s spiked hair tickled his belly as his head bobbed up and down. He increased the pressure and suction for several thrusts, then let up, and then the next time increased it again even more.

Bakura’s breath started to come in short gasps. He tried to push his hips against Yami’s face, but the other’s fingers dug into the flesh around his hip bones and effectively kept him from moving. Tugging on Yami’s hair didn’t help much either.

He was getting close, but he wasn’t going to get there under his own terms, as Yami had managed to take control of the action once again. This was not to Bakura’s liking. The pressure and rhythm of Yami’s mouth was almost enough, but not quite, and he realized that the damned Game King could probably keep this up indefinitely. Of course, he would let Bakura come eventually, as that was the goal of the game, or half of it. But Bakura decided that he wanted to change the rules a little, and not allow Yami to chose the moment of his climax.

So he took his own advice, and thought of Ryou as he’d just seen him, with his mouth clamped onto Yuugi’s cock, sucking away happily as a baby. He thought of Ryou’s mouth wrapped around his own stiff erection, and of how it would feel, and how Ryou would look, kneeling there in Yami’s place, his soft hair falling over his face, his eyes closed in devoted concentration.

His fist twisted in Yami’s hair, but he imagined it was Ryou’s soft locks wound in his fingers instead, and Ryou’s throat convulsing around the head of his cock, and that it was Ryou eagerly swallowing every drop of his seed as it pulsed from him in searing pleasure.

He knew he was yelling, letting out loud moans torn from his depths as he came, but he didn’t care. Nor did he care about the gurgling sounds Yami made as he managed to pull his lips off Bakura's spurting cock. He was satisfied enough to know that the former Pharoah had to have swallowed some of his offering, even if he did end up with most of it dripping down his chin instead. It didn’t matter, either, that as soon as Yami recovered from being taken by surprise like that, the smug smile returned to his face as he realized that half his task was done.

Bakura smiled as well, even though his brain was still fogged with the force of his orgasm. He’d come harder than he could ever remember doing before, and he felt a wave of exhiliration wash over him even though his legs trembled.

But he knew that there was still more to enjoy in this encounter. He had figured all along that the hardest part of the challenge lay ahead for Yami.

He let go of Yami’s hair and, as he expected, the former Pharoah let him go at once and backed off, wiping his mouth with his arm. He looked up at Bakura, however, with a smirk in his sly crimson eyes.

“You seem to think that was all your own doing,” Bakura said. “It wasn’t, as it happens, and I could declare myself the winner of the challenge if I chose to.”

“What do you mean?” Yami said skeptically.

“Never mind. We’ll call it close enough. I’m too interested to see how you perform solo to end the game here, anyway.”

The smirk didn’t entirely leave Yami’s face, but he glared at the idea of “performing solo” for an audience. He started to get to his feet, but Bakura pushed him back down, and sat down cross-legged on the ground in front of him.

He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands. He could tell that Yami was disconcerted by his stare, so naturally he kept staring, and looked pointedly at Yami’s clear lack of arousal.

“Need I remind you that time is wearing on? Shall I describe the place where Yuugi’s soul is waiting, in case you can’t imagine it for yourself?”

He laughed. Of course Yami had no idea what was really going on with Yuugi while he waited for the duel to end, but the worst that he could imagine might not horrify him as much as the reality would.

“Be silent!” Yami snapped at him. He held Bakura’s gaze for a moment, but Bakura only quirked an eyebrow at him and waited.

Finally Yami took a deep breath, as if readying himself for a plunge into cold water. He tore his eyes away from Bakura’s stare, bowed his head and closed his eyes as if to focus his thoughts, or perhaps only to hide his true feelings from Bakura.

“All right,” he said quietly. “I’m ready. And I will win this game, Thief, and you will never put Yuugi in danger again!”

“As you say, oh King of Games. I’m waiting to be convinced.”

He settled in to watch the show as Yami began his final task.

\---  
continued in part 5: The Second Task.  
(one orgasm down, three to go! )


	5. The Second Task

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Across the boundaries of reality, Yugi shares in Yami's pleasure as Yami meets Bakura's challenge.

Yami still had the taste of Bakura in his mouth, and while it wasn’t as unpleasant as he might have expected, it did nothing to inspire him in the task at hand. He now remembered the exact words of Bakura’s challenge: you will bring me, and yourself as well, to sexual climax. In his determination to answer Bakura’s demand to service him orally, he’d nearly forgotten about the second part of that. Now, he had to find a way to bring himself to orgasm, with the critical eyes of the Spirit of the Ring upon him the whole time.

It was not going to be nearly as simple as the first part of the game had turned out to be.

In fact, he thought with a flicker of suspicion, the first part had been almost too easy. He expected much more resistance from Bakura, but instead the thief had been more helpful than he needed to be so far. Yami began to get the feeling that there was something else going on here, some hidden meaning to this game that he had not yet realized.

But he had accepted the challenge under the conditions of a Shadow Game, so there was nothing he could do but follow through. Only by doing so would he both save Yuugi and perhaps find out what Bakura was really up to, if indeed he did have a hidden motive.

He decided he might as well make it as easy on himself as Bakura would allow. He knelt up and pulled the tight black pants down, then sat back to pull them off completely, He was all too aware of Bakura’s amused gaze as he unbuckled boots and belts, and struggled a little awkwardly to remove the last of his clothing.

Finally he knelt, sitting back on his heels, naked except for Yuugi’s studded leather collar and the Puzzle that still hung at his back. He did his best to ignore the heat of Bakura’s gaze as he began to stroke himself.

His teenage body was very responsive, even if he wasn’t exactly in the mood to be aroused. He knew that he might be able to reach orgasm with the most basic stimulation, but he also knew that this would probably not satisfy Bakura. He’d have to make a better show of it than that.

Yami closed his hand firmly around his growing length, and with the other hand he gently squeezed his balls. His eyes fell closed as he focused on the sparks of pleasure this gave him, trying to lose himself in the sensations.

He spread his knees, allowing his hands better access - and allowing Bakura a better view as well. The slight sound of appreciation from his one-person audience was encouraging. He let his movements became more dramatic, and his cock grew harder swiftly. It felt fine in his hand, and even better when he spit into his palm to provide a slicker stroke.

Yes, it felt good. It felt good to be touched even if it was by his own hand - and it had even felt good to be touched by Bakura, though he hated to admit it. His closeness of soul with Yuugi was one of the finest things he’d ever experienced, especially since they'd become fully aware of each other. But it had been so very long since he’d felt these sensations that he couldn’t deny the need growing inside.

He would never admit it to Bakura, but he had thought of Yuugi, briefly, to his own surprise, as he took the thief’s cock in his mouth earlier. It had helped him get over his initial revulsion to remember that he was doing this to save Yuugi’s soul from the Shadow Realm.

At that moment it had flashed unexpectedly into his mind that if he had been doing to Yuugi what he was doing to Bakura, he would be tender and patient, carefully and slowly bringing the young one to the peak of pleasure - a method that would surely never work for Bakura. So he had shoved this thought of Yuugi aside and concentrated on how to get the greatest response from his opponent. He’d even begun to enjoy himself as he discovered what movements of tongue and lips made Bakura moan.

Now as he pleasured himself, the thought of Yuugi made him pause for a moment. It suddenly occurred to him that this was, in fact, Yuugi’s body he was touching. He knew Yuugi had sexual feelings, and that his dreams woke him sometimes in a state of arousal, although he wasn’t aware that his teenage partner had ever touched himself like this. Perhaps this was something else he could teach his young protégé.

That thought gave him a surprisingly strong pang of pleasure, even of longing. But he also felt a surge of guilt as he continued to manipulate his body - Yuugi’s body. To answer the guilt, he renewed his resolve to appreciate Yuugi more fully in the future, and to open up his heart to his partner, as it seemed he was still learning to do.

“You look good like that, Yami,” the thief said in a low voice, breaking into his thoughts.

Yami scowled at the interruption without opening his eyes to look at Bakura, but he noticed that the appreciation sounded genuine.

“So aroused, so wanton," Bakura continued, his voice growing softer and deeper. "Are you getting close yet?”

Yami opened his eyes to find Bakura's face inches from his own. He was his leaning forward, his hands on the ground by Yami's knees. His eyes were heavy-lidded, smoldering; his smile was seductive.

“Does it feel good? Is your own hand going to be enough, or do you need my help?”

Yami's brain was a little clouded by his arousal, and the tone of the question confused him. It should have been sarcastic, but it wasn't. Still, he would have answered "no!" if he'd had a few more seconds. But by then Bakura's lips were touching his, and a long-fingered hand was sliding sensually up his thigh.

"Mm?" he mumbled questioningly against Bakura's lips. He was shocked as much by his own response as by Bakura's actions. The touch sent a line of liquid fire through his nerves to the base of his cock.

Yami shuddered as conflicting urges threatened to overwhelm him. To touch himself was pleasant, but to be touched by another was so much more stimulating. But this was Bakura, his enemy, the evil Spirit who had taken Yuugi's soul away just to force him into this horrific game. How could he let this man's touch feel so good?

Bakura kissed him. As those firm lips softened against his, Yami couldn't help but close his eyes and sink into that kiss. Bakura's lips gently pried his open and his tongue slipped in, but only to coax Yami's outward. Taking the hint, even though it seemed illogical, Yami pressed the tip of his tongue between Bakura's lips and into a hot, welcoming mouth.

Bakura's other hand was on his shoulder, gently but firmly pulling him forward. The hand on his thigh nudged Yami's fingers at the root of his erection, making it dance. At the same time Bakura sucked hard on his tongue.

A startled moan escaped Yami. He invaded Bakura's mouth, demanding more. The Thief complied, sucking harder, as if in return for the action Yami had performed on him earlier.

Soon Yami was gasping for breath and had to pull away. His arousal, which had built slowly and reluctantly under his own hand, had now flared to fullness, and his cock strained against his hand.

With his face pressed against Bakura's, he tried to catch his breath and regain control of himself. But he gasped again as Bakura ran his fingertip up the length of his hardness and caught the drop of fluid that had appeared at the tip.

"Why...?" he breathed against Bakura's cheek.

"Mm?" Bakura responded lazily.

Yami tried to ignore the way Bakura's other hand had crept from his shoulder to the back of his neck, warm and firm there but not demanding. He took another shaking breath and tried to speak again.

"Why are you helping me? Or are you?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Bakura's smile seemed more mischievous than dangerous, and his eyes seemed clouded with lust. "It's my game. Why can't I help my opponent along if I choose to?"

Yami frowned at him.

"As I said, you look good like this," Bakura continued. "And you feel even better." His lips grazed Yami's cheek. "After so long without a touch, in the darkness...."

Yami thought he understood at last. A surprising feeling of compassion for Bakura mingled with his body's awakened desire, although underneath, his mistrust remained.

"If you wanted this, you could have asked for it in some other way," he said, gently though still a little gruffly. "You did not have to involve Yuugi and your Other Self."

"It was necessary," Bakura said simply.

He forestalled Yami's question of why it was necessary by simultaneously claiming his mouth in another deep kiss and wrapping his agile fingers around Yami's cock. In a few seconds Yami had forgotten the question.

\----

"Yuugi..."

Yuugi had never heard his name said like that before. No one had ever murmured it against his skin, kissing his name with soft lips over his collarbone, down his chest, across his stomach. He had never known his skin could be so sensitive to whispered breath.

What had happened, he wondered dizzily, staring sightlessly up at the dim sky. He'd meant to comfort his friend who seemed so vulnerable, so sad and frightened. He'd felt such a wonderful surge of affection for Ryou, and such pleasure in seeing his smiling eyes when he pulled him close. And then he'd felt that rush of delight, embarrassed but pleased when Ryou had revealed his hidden attraction to him.

He'd hardly guessed what it would lead to. He never expected to end up with Ryou making love to him. Because that's what it was. It must be. Nothing else could feel this good.

All of his fleeting fantasies and stray moments of arousal had only hinted at the intense pleasure he was feeling now. When Ryou first took him in his mouth, he was overwhelmed. Surprise and doubt that Ryou or anyone else would actually want to do this was washed away in that flood of sensation.

If Ryou hadn't slowed down and pulled away almost immediately, he might have come in seconds. To his mixed relief and disappointment that hot suction had ceased after a few seconds... long, mind-bursting seconds that nearly sent him flying over the edge.

Just when Yuugi's thoughts were beginning to clear back to doubtfulness, Ryou started in again. This time he went slower, with more gentle lapping and less suction. It was much less intense, but it made Yuugi feel like he was melting somewhere deep inside.

His whole body felt so wonderfully sensitized that he could feel every strand of Ryou's soft hair in his fingers, and on his stomach where it fell as Ryou's head bobbed up and down over him. He was hardly aware of lifting his hips and helping Ryou remove the rest of his clothing out of the way, but he felt every touch of cool fingertips on his naked skin as Ryou's hands caressed his thighs and slid underneath him. Long fingers gently kneaded his ass, lifting him off the hard ground.

He shuddered as Ryou raised his head, feeling both the loss of the hot mouth and a sense of relief. He felt that he could use a moment to catch his breath, slow his racing heart, and maybe clear his mind a little. But Ryou didn't give him much chance to think. The hot mouth was replaced by a warm, firm hand slowly pumping his stiff cock, and then he felt a hot tongue curl around his balls, lapping eagerly and dipping lower.

Yuugi realized that he was squirming, making sounds he didn't even recognize as his own voice, both questioning and encouraging. He felt a brief flush of shame, and a more urgent wish that he could do something for Ryou in return. He tried to at least say Ryou's name, but all that came out was a moan.

Suddenly it was all too much, or maybe it was not enough... he needed something else, something more, but he didn't know what.

He half sat up, using his hands in Ryou's hair to slow him down. He needed to see Ryou's face, and touch him...

Ryou lifted his head. His deep brown eyes were half closed in a blissful smile which quickly changed to a look of concern.

"Please, Ryou..." Yuugi managed to say.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi, do you want me to stop?" he asked. Yuugi was moved to another strong wave of affection by the sound of disappointment in his voice.

"No! Don't stop, but..." He saw the look of hopeful longing on Ryou's face, and suddenly knew what he needed. "Come here," he said, tugging gently at Ryou to come up and be near him.

Ryou's face was lit again by that soft smile. Yuugi pulled him down on top of him, kissing him deeply and wrapping his short legs around Ryou's hips. He was happy to hear that this made Ryou sigh, and excited to feel the hardness pressing through Ryou's jeans against him.

He longed for more contact, and he wanted so much to make Ryou feel as good as he felt right now. He didn't know quite what to do, but getting Ryou's clothes out of the way seemed like part of it. He tried to slide his hand between their sweat-slick bodies.

Ryou raised himself up a little to place more kisses on Yuugi's hair and face, nuzzling the damp bangs plastered to his forehead. Yuugi waited with as much patience as he could manage while Ryou pushed his jeans down out of the way. Then he pulled Ryou back down between his legs and wrapped his arms around the slim body. Their voices mingled in moans as their erections slid alongside each other.

Ryou sighed into Yuugi's hair. His gentle weight pinned Yuugi safely to the ground and Yuugi clung to him with arms and legs, touching every inch of skin he could reach. Pleased with the sounds of pleasure coming from him, Yuugi flexed his hips upward, and Ryou began to thrust against him in time. 

It was perfect, Yuugi thought, and it could go on forever, even though he knew every thrust was bringing him closer to the edge. 

But suddenly he remembered what all this pleasure had driven from his mind: there was a Shadow Game going on, and his Other Self was dueling for their lives. He felt a wave of guilt to be enjoying himself so intensely while Yami was battling the other Bakura. Then the guilt transformed into a feeling of love and appreciation for Yami no Yuugi, knowing that he would be doing whatever he had to do to win his freedom.

His thoughts splintered again as Ryou's tongue flicked into his ear, sending a shuddering wave of pleasure right from that point of wet contact to the root of his cock. And then he found himself wishing he could share this pleasure with Yami.

With that stray thought he whimpered loudly. His hips bucked rapidly, and suddenly all of his pleasure and longing exploded from him in blinding waves.

 

***

Yami remained lost for the moment in the deep kiss. With Bakura's hand around his own pumping his erection, he had barely noticed when another hand slid around behind him. The warm palm against his ass felt good too. He let Bakura pull him up and forward, until he found himself in the taller man's lap.

Somehow, Bakura managed to get his own legs under Yami's body, so he was now straddling Bakura's hips. Bakura now pulled him close with both hands, so that Yami's erection was against his firmly muscled stomach. Giving in to an urgent desire for more contact, he wrapped his legs around Bakura and pressed himself against the lean body. From this position he was able to pause for a moment to gaze down at his opponent's face.

Bakura's gaze seemed distant, his eyes shadowed by his wild mane of hair which gleamed silver in the twilight. Then suddenly he focused on Yami again, and smiled.

"Now, Yami no Yuugi," he said, "It's time for you to come for me."

Bakura's hand on Yami's ass pulled him firmly against his warm body, slick with sweat. Yami realized Bakura's half-hard cock was snugged up under him, but Bakura seemed more concerned with Yami's weeping erection as he reached between them to join Yami's hand again around it.

Yami closed his eyes and moaned aloud.

The thought of Yuugi suddenly filled his mind like a flare. He imagined his partner sharply, as if he could clearly see his young, glistening body arched and shuddering in its own climax. The vision nearly stopped his breath.

Yami gave one single harsh, wordless cry before his orgasm exploded from him, spilling hotly onto his hand and Bakura’s stomach. He shuddered with long, rasping breaths as the last waves of it passed through him.

He fell limply against the taller body. As his climax subsided, he struggled to capture that vision of Yuugi again, but it had faded from his mind like a dream.

\---

Continued and concluded in part 6: Hidden Meanings, with the final outcome of the game and Bakura’s true motivation revealed.  
(That’s three out of four orgasms, if you’re keeping count.)


	6. Hidden Meanings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, it's Ryou's turn. As the game ends, Yami discovers Bakura's true motivation.

Ryou desperately wanted this moment to last forever, just as it was. As he felt Yuugi's release, he was overwhelmed by the sweetness of holding the boy he'd longed to touch and make love to. But even so, he couldn't completely forget the emptiness that waited on the other side.

Why did my yami let me do this? his heart cried out. Did the spirit know all along that it would only hurt more when it was over?

Ryou's soft heart couldn't believe that Bakura was that cold, even if he did act ruthlessly at times. He'd become much less harsh since his unexpected reappearance at Duelist Kingdom, but he was still unpredictable at best. Ryou couldn't guess what the Spirit of the Ring really wanted. Whatever it was, he couldn't let it steal this precious moment from him.

He pressed his face against the soft skin of Yuugi’s shoulder and sighed again. Tears burned against his closed eyelids as he breathed deeply, filling his lungs with Yuugi's scent

Yuugi moved against him a little, making his unreleased arousal throb again. He looked down at the blissfully sleepy face. Yuugi's eyes were closed and he was smiling. He had to kiss him one more time.

Yuugi half-opened one eye and smiled into the kiss.

"Ryou?" he asked drowsily.

"I'm still here," Ryou said. He quickly blinked back the tears and managed a smile in return.

"Mmm, good...that felt so good." Yuugi moved again, stretching. A tiny frown furrowed his brows as he noticed Ryou's hardness pressed against him.

"What about you?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"It's okay," Ryou lied, denying the ache in his groin. He tried to kiss Yuugi again to distract him.

"No, it isn't. What can I do? I've never done this before so I don't really know how..."

"You don't need to do anything," he said softly. “If you just... hold me,” he added. It was difficult to say the words. Yuugi touched his burning cheeks lightly.

“Ryou?”

“That’s all I need right now, Yuugi,” he insisted.

Yuugi nodded. He pulled Ryou’s head down into the crook of his neck and put his arms around him.

But Yuugi didn’t let it rest with that. He continued to move his leg between Ryou’s, carefully feeling for just the right pressure and friction. Ryou put his arms around the smaller body and clung to him. When Yuugi’s hand slipped down between them and found him, sparks shot up his spine and exploded behind his closed eyes.

He hadn't intended to give himself this final reward. After all, he'd won this time with Yuugi through deceit, and he didn't deserve this much pleasure. But once Yuugi's hand closed around his erection, there was no turning back. His hips jerked involuntarily, and suddenly it felt like he couldn't hold Yuugi close enough.

“Yuugi...” He moaned the name one final time. Then Yuugi found his mouth again and kissed him deeply.

For a few seconds, he was afraid Yuugi knew... but how could he? Even so, Ryou realized that it might be more than kindness that made Yuugi grasp him so firmly, and taste him so eagerly.

He tried so hard not to think of all the other things he wanted to do, how their bodies might move together in so many ways. There was no time for anything else, and even if there was, his arousal was too sharp to hold back now. But he tried to hold back anyway.

Yuugi's hand was so warm, firm and gentle. Moaning, whimpering, he moved against it, setting up a rhythm that Yuugi matched as if by instinct. His hands roamed over Yuugi's back and sides, pulling him close but leaving enough room for them to move together.

He wanted so much more. He wanted to give his whole body to Yuugi, to feel him in places no one had ever touched him before. He wanted to tell Yuugi how long he'd dreamed of this.

Yuugi couldn't know, but that didn't matter. He pulled Ryou down and kissed him, hard and deep and long, as if he would never stop. His hands squeezed with clumsy yet perfect pressure, his whole body rippled as if in response to the waves of longing flooding through Ryou's body.

Ryou began to move more quickly, desperately. Trying to hold back only increased his need. Yuugi responded by increasing the speed and pressure of his pumping fist.

For one second, Ryou pulled back to drink in the sight of Yuugi one more time. His beautiful face was flushed with both tenderness and determination, and Ryou had one last glimpse of Yuugi lying there, accepting him, giving back to him with all his heart. Then Yuugi raised his head and pulled him down and took his mouth again. Ryou's longing gathered at the base of his spine and burst out into Yuugi's hands.

Ryou cried out wordlessly into Yuugi’s soft mouth with every pulse that tore through him. Finally, at the end, he was limp in Yuugi’s arms. He looked into the sweet face and smiled gratefully. Somehow, he swore to himself, he would hold on to this brief moment forever, because it felt perfect. It would never be like this again.

Yuugi lay back with a sigh, as if now at last he was fully satisfied. Ryou watched his eyes drift shut as the after-effect of sex finally overwhelmed him.

It wouldn’t be long now, Ryou knew. Now the game was really over. He drank in the scent of Yuugi’s skin and the sound of his breathing, and hoped his tears had gone unnoticed.

***

Yami drifted back from his brief oblivion to find himself practically curled up in Bakura's lap. He was leaning back with his head against the taller man's broad chest, while Bakura now lay stretched out with his back against a tree. He wasn't sure how they'd ended up this way. One of Bakura's arms was curled around his shoulder; the other hand was draped across his thigh, idly brushing across his skin. The strangest thing, Yami realized suddenly, was that the Puzzle was back in its usual place, hanging on his chest. Bakura must have placed it there himself. The Ring was still hidden behind Bakura's back.

He was a little too limp yet to spring up out of Bakura's lazy embrace, and for some reason he felt no urgency to do so anyway. Bakura sat with his eyes half-closed, seeming to stare at nothing. Then he noticed Yami was awake and smiled down at him. The smile was softer than his usual scheming look, but it was clear to Yami’s eyes that this was still the self-proclaimed Stealer of Souls in possession of Ryou Bakura’s body.

He tried to sit up and pull out of the strange embrace, but he was hardly surprised when Bakura’s arms gently but firmly held him in his close.

"I've fulfilled your conditions," Yami said, his suspicions returning through the lifting haze of his climax. "Now you must return the others unharmed."

"In a moment," Bakura said, lazily, his fingers dancing lightly on Yami's leg. Despite this, or perhaps even because if it, Yami's alarm grew.

"Release them now, demon!" he said, struggling to get his voice to rise to its usual forcefulness.

"They're not quite ready to be released," the spirit answered, his grin widening. "Give them another moment, and I promise you they will both be returned safely to this world.

Yami was now alert enough to look daggers at Bakura, but as usual the spirit was unfazed, and only chuckled.

"You think I've left them in some horrible situation from which it will take time to extricate them, don't you? Well, if you were paying more attention you'd know better. If you haven't figured it out for yourself yet, I'll show you..."

Yami felt his blocked connection to Yuugi open up a little. He breathed a sigh of relief as the empty place in his mind was once again lit with a sense of Yuugi's presence. But he was shocked to find that the image of Yuugi that came to him was much like what he'd imagined as he climaxed. For a moment he thought the Spirit had looked inside him and taken his fantasy to manipulate it for his own use.

But then he realized this was no fantasy, but Yuugi as he was at that moment, there in a twilight world on the edge of the Shadows. The vision took his breath away.

Yuugi was lying on his back on the ground, nearly naked. His eyes were closed and a dreamy smile was on his face. With one hand he gently stroked Ryou Bakura's hair, while Ryou was curled up half on top of him with his hand drifting over Yuugi's exposed skin. Ryou seemed to be touching Yuugi as a blind person might, to know and remember every contour. His expression was innocent, but his look of desire had a hint of possession in it, enough that Yami felt his heart lurch with the sudden need to have Yuugi returned to him, out of reach of any other.

He heard Bakura laugh softly. He realized he was scowling hard at the vision, with all of his anger at the spirit now being directed jealously toward innocent Ryou.

"Now you see why our game could not be rushed," the Spirit said. "Our other selves were also busy with their own activities. No doubt Little Yuugi will be as anxious to return to you, once his senses clear, as you are to have him back. And I don't think you need to worry that your bond with your partner will be damaged by this little adventure. Undoubtedly he already knows of your affection, whether you've revealed yourself to him or not. Clearly you would do anything to protect him, even if it means making love to a tomb robber."

Yami mentally squirmed at the sharp perceptions of the Spirit. He looked again at Bakura's face, and saw that he was also watching the vision of the two in the other world with a strange, deep look in his eyes. He glanced again at the other pair, and saw with surprise that the look on Ryou's face as he watched Yuugi sleep mirrored the one on Bakura's face as he watched Ryou.

"Hnh," Yami said, finally understanding completely. "As it seems you would do anything for your own partner. You challenged me to this insane game, just so that Ryou could be alone with Yuugi!"

"Oh, not quite anything," Bakura said casually, not bothering to argue with Yami's reference to Ryou as his partner. "This small favor it was easily within my power to grant. His infatuation for Yuugi was becoming a distraction. Hopefully he will now have gotten it out of his system for once and all," he continued dismissively. Despite his tone, Yami heard the possessive snarl in his voice.

"And anyway," Bakura continued, "I also got something I wanted. To see the great King of Games kneeling at my feet was worth the trouble! And you were every bit as good as I hoped you'd be."

Yami grunted derisively. He was uncertain if Bakura meant to actually pay him a compliment, or if he was saying something else entirely.

He decided it didn't matter. The game was over, and if he hadn't exactly won in the usual sense, he hadn't lost, either. Yami waited, comfortable with the idea that their roles were about to return to normal. Obviously, Bakura did not intend to allow Ryou to remain so close to Yuugi. He felt a small pang of guilt that this made him glad. If Yuugi wanted to be with someone else, could he allow it? It was a revelation to realized that he didn't think he could.

He was now fully aware of Yuugi's feelings, although he knew it was a one-way link: Yuugi could not sense Yami, but Yami could hear his thoughts stirring. As the young one's haze of comfort lifted, he felt Yuugi's concern for him rush through him like a cold wave.

***

Ryou felt Yuugi starting to stir and saw his gaze become more focused. The little furrow between his brows returned and deepened, and Ryou knew he was starting to worry about his other self again. Reluctantly he drew his hand away, pulling back into himself.

"Ryou...." Yuugi said questioningly.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi," Ryou said automatically. He sat up and started to pull his clothes back into place. He couldn't look at Yuugi. To his surprise, Yuugi's hands covered his, and then gently pulled him back down to lie alongside him.

"I'm not sorry," Yuugi said, smiling. He wrapped his arms around Ryou and snuggled against his chest. "It's better to stay close," he said simply, his voice muffled.

Ryou put his arms around Yuugi again, and tried not to think about the intense look of concern for Yami that he'd seen on Yuugi's face. In his warm embrace it was easy to forget, for a moment.

"I wonder how the duel is going," Yuugi said, finally voicing his concern.

"I don't know, but I'm sure it will be over soon," Ryou answered. He hoped his sadness didn't show in his voice. He knew full well that it was already over, but he didn't want to tell Yuugi that.

He felt the Spirit's mind touch his.

You look comfortable, the Spirit thought to him after a moment. Ryou was surprised at the tone of the thought. There was only the slightest hint of sarcasm, not at all what he expected.

Yes, Ryou admitted. I am.

"Well, it's time. Are you satisfied?

Ryou nodded. He touched his lips lightly to Yuugi's forehead.

Must you take the memories away? he asked the Spirit.

That was the condition, Bakura thought in reply. You may keep your memory of this, as I shall, but the Pharaoh and his little partner must believe that this never happened. You have a few more minutes while we clean ourselves up, and then it's over.

Ryou sighed. I understand... Thank you.

Bakura said nothing for a moment. Then Ryou overheard him as he spoke out loud to Yami.

"Perhaps you'd better dress," Bakura suggested to Yuugi's Other Self. "Your little partner might not be the exhibitionist you are, and he might not appreciate finding himself naked in the public park when his spirit returns to his body."

Yami huffed at him indignantly, but he sat up and quickly pulled Yuugi's clothes back on. Bakura did the same with Ryou's t-shirt and jeans. When they were both tidy again, he picked up the Ring and held it in both hands.

Be prepared, he thought to Ryou.

The Ring flashed. Ryou laid one last kiss on Yuugi's cheek before he felt the world drop away around him.

 

~~Epilogue~~

A moment later Ryou felt himself jarred back into his own body as if he'd been shaken apart and poured into it, like sand into a mold. He blinked and flinched a little as his normal senses took hold again. The park seemed unnaturally bright now, even under the shade of the trees.

Yuugi stood beside him, blinking rapidly and looking confused.

"Ryou?" he said. "I'm sorry... what were you saying? I guess I just spaced out for a moment." He gave an embarrassed laugh.

Ryou's heart jumped when Yuugi said his given name. For a second he thought Yuugi would remember after all, but then it became clear that he didn't remember a thing. He forced a smile.

"We were just talking about Duel Monsters," Ryou answered.

"Oh, of course!" Yuugi said. "Well, why are we standing here, let's go find the others!"

As they walked along, Yuugi chattered about cards for a few seconds, but then his talk returned to the Puzzle and Pegasus' attempt to take it.

"The Spirit of the Puzzle -- Yami -- I can sense that he's worried that someone else might try to take it away again. So am I," he said thoughtfully. His hand closed around the Item possessively. "I couldn't bear to lose him. Somehow it feels like we've suddenly become closer than ever."

The Spirit of the Ring stirred in Ryou's mind.

You see, my host, even if were to allow you to pursue your silly romantic fantasy, you could not break the bond that exists between those two.

If this was supposed to hurt Ryou, it didn't. Oddly enough, he felt happier, even as he watched Yuugi's far-away expression and realized that he was sharing his thoughts with Yami at that very moment.

I'm glad, he thought. At least Yuugi has someone that he knows really cares about him.

He sensed Bakura's sharp irritation.

Blind fool, the Spirit muttered.

The tone of his thought surprised Ryou. Then something odd occurred to him. Could Bakura actually be jealous? It didn't seem likely. But as soon as he thought of it, he realized that if he were, he would never admit it.

They found the others sitting on a bench in the middle of the park. Honda, Anzu and Jonouchi waved and called greetings, then gathered around Yuugi, talking and joking loudly. Ryou stood beside them, barely listening to their talk.

It's good to have someone who cares about you, he thought softly, even if they can't tell you that they do.

What are you babbling about now? Bakura said. It sounds like having sex with Yuugi has finally addled your brains completely.

"Never mind," Ryou said softly to himself.

Yuugi caught his eye for a second and grinned. Then he went back to telling the group about Yami's latest dueling strategy idea.

Ryou smiled at them all, though his smile went unnoticed. "Never mind."

\----  
The End  
\----


End file.
